Who Does Florida Hire?

[G8RB8R]

As far as I can remember, Spurrier's head coaching experience was the Tampa Bay Bandits of the old WFL, and Duke, prior to arriving at UF as the HBC. His NFL experience was as backup to John Brodie with the 49ers, and never amounted to anything more. Kerwin has CFL championships to his credit, and has the same amount of NFL playing experience as SOS. Kerwin also has had 2 HC positions with far less to work with.

E, just ragging on you about Dickey! Dickey only had one winning season, in 1952, 8-3 overall, 3-3 (6th place in the SEC). In fact that was the only winning season while he was the QB for UF. The other years never had more than 5 wins and finished last in the SEC.

 

[DRU2012]

Maybe I meant to say that Doug Dickey graded out a champion as a QB. Then again, he did coach Tennessee to an SEC championship in '67 and '69. Obviously he was not as hot as Florida coach.

Any way, it seems that in order to succeed as Florida coach, you need a certain kind of mojo. Prior success is not always an indicator. Spurrier had it. Meyer had it. I need more coaching data on Kerwin Bell.

(Note--This is mainly a continuation of my last post, reacting to subsequent comments and info.)

Mojo--Yes! That's what I was getting at above. All that other stuff I said, yeah, but it adds up to "all that and something EXTRA"--"Mojo" will do. We need a guy who's smart, innovative, excited, energized and involved, yes--but he's got to have that Mojo.
Just watched a replay of Meyer's press conference earlier, and I give him complete credit for a frank and honest, clear and straight-forward analysis of both the reasons for the Gators' problems and the fact that "it is broken", AND his own state of mind. Not only do I think we are finally getting this kind of access and honesty for the first time in a long time, did y'all notice what I THINK I did, that he was SMILING AND RELAXED for the first time in at LEAST that long?
I think he KNOWS this is the right choice, has known it for a year somewhere deep inside, and is finally HAPPY, for the first time since, well, before the SEC Championship against the Tide, anyway. Armchair analysis of the worst kind, I'll admit, but am I wrong?

 

[ShortBus]

DRU, utah's coach is kyle whittingham

 

[ShortBus]

also does the Urb help Foley find his replacement?

 

[CaliZona_Gator]

I think Mullen would be my first choice. There are plenty of coaches I would be satisfied with. And plenty that will make me question the sanity of everyone in Gainesville.

 

[DRU2012]

DRU, utah's coach is kyle whittingham

Yes! Thanks (hate it when something like that drops out of my memory). Matter of fact, from what I know of him and his work at UTAH, his own elaboration and development of Urban's Power-Spread there at Utah (where, as I say, he did a LOT with not-that-much in terms of the talent pool he was drawing from), Wittingham COULD be a SUPERB fit at Florida.
Comments?

 

[Escambia94]

I think Meyer no longer has much input on his replacement. It's business. Besides, if Meyer did recommend one of his proteges, we would have to listen to the Gator Nation groan and complain about the "antiquated spread" being resurrected. The same spread that won us a couple national championships is the same one people were belly-aching about when it only gained 499 yards a game and not 500. I think Foley will go after someone not of Meyer's circle.

Personally, I like the run-first spread. I just think we were missing a DeShawn Wynn running back or a Percy Harvin receiver-runner.

 

[DRU2012]

I think Mullen would be my first choice. There are plenty of coaches I would be satisfied with. And plenty that will make me question the sanity of everyone in Gainesville.

OK--Now: who do we bring in as the Defensive Coordinator, maybe even "Assistant Head Coach-in-charge-of Defense"?
I believe we'd need to make that sort of parallel move to fully solidify our immediate future if Mullen were named the Head Coach. Who is his guy at MSU? Does he have the talent, experience and stature himself? Would he fit the big time demands of OUR program?
It would be the same if Strong were hired, only there the question would be about the offense--and even MORE pressing (I mean, the guy who's here now either moves back to the O-line or moves on entirely, right? RIGHT???)

 

[ShortBus]

i would hope anyone who is brought in, would be allowed to pick and choose who he keeps on the current staff.. and honestly, i wouldn't mind one bit if they cleared the slate and built a staff from the ground up.. well keep marotti, he's the best in the bizz

 

[DRU2012]

I think Meyer no longer has much input on his replacement. It's business. Besides, if Meyer did recommend one of his proteges, we would have to listen to the Gator Nation groan and complain about the "antiquated spread" being resurrected. The same spread that won us a couple national championships is the same one people were belly-aching about when it only gained 499 yards a game and not 500. I think Foley will go after someone not of Meyer's circle.

Personally, I like the run-first spread. I just think we were missing a DeShawn Wynn running back or a Percy Harvin receiver-runner.

Yeah, as I say, I don't know if Foley is prepared to go to that same well a second time--but I like to think he'd make the choice that best suits the Gators regardless of how it might "look" or what fans and pundits might say about it. And if Meyer has anything to say to him about his possible replacement, I am sure Foley would listen--he'd be foolish not too; I'm confident he'll tap every resource in his the process of considering and finally making a choice hire.
Why SHOULDN'T it be a proponent of some version of the spread? We've got the personnel for it, and more on the way--any such coach has got to get a-warm-and-funny-feeling-down-below at the prospect of having Driskell coming in to run that guy's version of the Power/Spread, or whatever it's being called at the time.
Anyway, I'm excited about our prospects; this next few weeks will bring answers, surprises and new questions, no doubt. Instead of looking towards the off-season with frustration and concern, I am now optimistic that we will get this thing turned around. With a good hire, we will be fully re-energized and ON OUR WAY BACK.

 

[DRU2012]

i would hope anyone who is brought in, would be allowed to pick and choose who he keeps on the current staff.. and honestly, i wouldn't mind one bit if they cleared the slate and built a staff from the ground up.. well keep marotti, he's the best in the bizz

I'm with you, anyone but Marotti--no problem at ALL, if the new coach wants it that way (though he may keep a few, if only for recruiting continuity/consideration; not all of them are without talent, either, just hamstrung by Addazio's inadequacies at OC).

 

[Escambia94]

Yeah, as I say, I don't know if Foley is prepared to go to that same well a second time--but I like to think he'd make the choice that best suits the Gators regardless of how it might "look" or what fans and pundits might say about it. And if Meyer has anything to say to him about his possible replacement, I am sure Foley would listen--he'd be foolish not too; I'm confident he'll tap every resource in his the process of considering and finally making a choice hire.
Why SHOULDN'T it be a proponent of some version of the spread? We've got the personnel for it, and more on the way--any such coach has got to get a-warm-and-funny-feeling-down-below at the prospect of having Driskell coming in to run that guy's version of the Power/Spread, or whatever it's being called at the time.
Anyway, I'm excited about our prospects; this next few weeks will bring answers, surprises and new questions, no doubt. Instead of looking towards the off-season with frustration and concern, I am now optimistic that we will get this thing turned around. With a good hire, we will be fully re-energized and ON OUR WAY BACK.

Personally, I like the spread. I like the spread-option. Either one can work. I hated listening to my fellow Gator fans complain about the spread-option, even when it was working. Part of our success was that we were one of only a couple offenses running the spread-option. Since we are recruiting the fastest athletes in America, we could also be very successful with the spread. Either way, with coaches like Malzahn, Kelly, Petersen, Rodriguez, Holgorson, we have a lot of options with either offense. All I do know is that it probably will not be a pro-set offense.

 

[G8RB8R]

Bobby Petrino, anyone?

Meyer steps down, Petrino lands on radar | TheCabin.net

 

[Leakfan12]

Bobby Petrino, anyone?

Meyer steps down, Petrino lands on radar | TheCabin.net

NO, NO, :censored: NO.

 

[DRU2012]

Personally, I like the spread. I like the spread-option. Either one can work. I hated listening to my fellow Gator fans complain about the spread-option, even when it was working. Part of our success was that we were one of only a couple offenses running the spread-option. Since we are recruiting the fastest athletes in America, we could also be very successful with the spread. Either way, with coaches like Malzahn, Kelly, Petersen, Rodriguez, Holgorson, we have a lot of options with either offense. All I do know is that it probably will not be a pro-set offense.

(Don't neglect including Wittingham to the short list--as I myself keep doing, for some reason.)
Going to the pro-set would mean a complete rebuilding job, one requiring before anything else a conscious choice on the part of J. Foley to sign a coach who envisions and specializes in that offense--"probably will not" is one of the classic understatements, I'd say.
No, it'll be someone with SOME variation on the Spread in his pocket arriving here on a wave of passion and determination (remember when that described Urban's arrival?). With the right quarterback I doubt it will matter in the end exactly which particular version it turns out to be: with our talent, speed, depth and access to more of everything, as long as the new Head Coach has the time and freedom to implement it, we'll come once again to be a scoring MACHINE.
We don't want to forget about defense in all of this. No more that we can DO about it than with any of the rest, of course, 'cept to keep an eye on where things seem to be headed, consider the consequences and implications, and voice our concern and/or approval at whatever is developing.
I harbor no illusions as to my personal control or influence over events, but I HAVE come to see and believe in the will of Gator Nation when they see a goal and begin to raise their voices as one.

 

[awebbf5]

Yes! Thanks (hate it when something like that drops out of my memory). Matter of fact, from what I know of him and his work at UTAH, his own elaboration and development of Urban's Power-Spread there at Utah (where, as I say, he did a LOT with not-that-much in terms of the talent pool he was drawing from), Wittingham COULD be a SUPERB fit at Florida.
Comments?

Hes number one on my list!!!

 

[Escambia94]

Some things to keep in mind--most HC changes result in at least 50% turnover. NCAA allows 9 paid coaches. When Meyer came in 2005 he only kept one from the previous administration because he was brought here to rebuild the program. Foley kept talking about that rebuilding. My guess is that Foley will prefer an offensive minded HC, which means that HC will want to bring maybe 5 offensive coaches along. Say goodbye to Addazio (yay), Azzanni, Drayton, White and Loeffler.

I really don't know what to make of the defense. Meyer kept two co-coordinators on defense, but I doubt a new HC would keep both. We could easily see as many as 9 coaches get turned over.

The easiest way to build an entire staff would be to hire a recently fired HC that could drag an entire staff along. Rodriguez from Michigan isn't fired yet, but could be close and could easily use these players in a similar scheme. Bobby Petrino would bring a pass-first spread that would work well for Brantley, but not so much for the other players we have recruited. Josh McDaniel might work well since he studied Meyer's offense and tried to port pieces of it to the Denver Broncos. Of course, he would need to keep this defense because knows jack **** about defense. Foley knows Kerwin Bell and we all like this idea. He may lack experience, but he could easily raid the entire Jacksonville State cupboard and bring them a couple hours down the road. As much as I did not like the idea a couple days ago, it is growing on me now.

The more likely option is to stick with college OCs and HCs who are winners at a Tier 2 program and see what they can do with Tier 1 talent. Malzahn, Holgorson, Petersen, Kelly, and others have been discusses around this forum. Who would drop their program in two weeks for a sizable pay jump?

 

[Gators2010]

Here is my list,

Steve Spurrier
Les Miles
Chip Kelly
Jim Harbaugh

 

[Jack&Dew]

What about Josh McDaniels???

 

[GatorFanFromLA]

mike leach says he is interested , maybe he will lock addazio in a closet


Mike Leach interested in Florida job | College Sports Blog | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | The Dallas Morning News